Cord reinforced base for floral designs and method of making same



y 1953 R. c. MELANDER 2,645,87

CORD REINFORCED BASE FOR FLORAL DESIGNS AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME FiledMay 11, 1949 ml, l0

Fig. 3

'0 I? 20 I i- /6 l4 r o rw-aa-eeem'elfif "i* ""u Inventor Raymond C.Me/ander Patented July 21, 1953 Conn Emmett BASE FORFLORAL DE- \SIGNSAND METHOD OF MAKING SAME.

Raymond C. Melander, Ballston Spa, N. Y. i

=Applicatiori Mayll, 1949, Serial No. 92,617

lai s-l 1 This invention relates generally to a base adapted to be usedfor supporting flowers as used by morticians and other in constructinglarge floral designs.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a base for floraldesigns which willallowthestems of flowers .to be inserted"directly'ithereinto,ithus gaining proper's'uppo'r't'for these stems,all without the employment of the relatively heavy Jana cumbersome'materia1s' now ordinarily employed for floralbases. I

Another fundamental consideration and object of this invention isto"provide, a base for floral designs which is of cellular {material withreinforcing means to increase theistrength of the base. i Still another'cbject'of this invention is to provide a method and means of applyingreinforcing members to blocks of cellular material, ,so that theseblocks are strengthened without any great increase in the weight of theblocks.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a method as mentionedin a preceding claim such as will allow mcrticians and others to applythe reinforcing elements to blocks of various configurations as the needmayarisef A last object to be mentioned specifically is to provide abase of the type mentioned which will be relatively inexpensive andcompletely practicable to manufacture, the raw materials bein easilyavailable, light in weight and easily transportable, and the actualapplication of the reinforcing members to the blocks of material beingordinarily carried out by the mortician himself according to thedictates of the particular configurations of the bases to be used.

With these objects definitely in View, this invention resides in certainnovel features of construction, combination and arrangements of elementsand portions as will be hereinafter described in detail in thespecification, particularly pointed out in the appended claims, andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, which form a material part ofthis application, and in which:

Figure 1 is a three-dimensional View of a block of cellular materialwith reinforcing cord elements applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a slightly diagrammatic, greatly enlarged cross-sectionalview, taken on the line 22 in Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a comletely diagrammaticview designed to indicate the stepsof the process in constructing the cord reinforced base for floraldesigns.

Cit:

Similar characters of reference designate similar or identical elementsand portions throughout the specification and throughout the differentviews in thedrawing. u I Referring now to thedrawing in detail, it

should first be noted that Figures 1 and 2 relate particularly to thestructure of, the finished base and reference will first be made tothese figures.

The base will consist of a block ID of cellular material ofalightweight, water repellent material such as aerated polystyrene foam,and the cellular structure of this material is indicated somewhatdiagrammatically and'greatly enlarged in Figure 2, wherein the cellwalls are indicated at [2. The cell walls comprising the irregular topface M of the .blocklllwill notbe greatly different from the remainingportions of the block, and a channel (G-is formed in the block to extendin the direction in which it is desired to extendthereinforcingcord-elements 18, which elements are ,intrenched inthechannels and preferably tightly, engagedinythese channels.- The cordelements [8 may comprise a plurality of interwoven strands offlexiblefcordage; and this cordage should have sufficienttensilestrength to prevent elongation of the SldByOf' the block reinforced bythe cordagax; Mucilaginous-material 2lI-is placed in the channel IS onthe outer side of the cordage l8, and it should be particularlycarefully noted that this mucilaginous material 20 will flow into thevarious cells, between the walls l2 of the cellular material, assomewhat diagrammatically indicated at 22 in Figure 2. The featurepointed out in the immediately preceding sentence is important, sincethe cellular structure of the material is functionally cooperative withthe cordage l8 and the mucilaginous substance 20 in amanner unique inthis invention, to result in a structure which is fully reinforcedagainst bending in the direction in which the cordage I8 extends, itbeing understood that such bending is conceived of as being in adirection tending to stretch the cordage I8. Bending in the oppositedirection can be prevented by simply duplicating the cordage l8, asindicated at 24 in Figure 1, on the opposite side of the block In. Ob-

viously, the number of cordage elements added to the block ID will be amatter of individual preferment and mechanical expediency and will bedictated largely by the use to which the block I0 is to be put. Asuitable mucilaginous material may be formed from a mixture ofpolymethylacrylate 20%, toluene 56% and methylated spirits 24%.

The method of applying the cordage I8 to the block I is diagrammaticallyillustrated infi ure 3. If reference is now had to this figure, it willbe noted that the numeral I4 is used to designate, as in the Figures 1and 2, the upper face portion of the block I0. A channel forming wheel26 will be used to form a channel l6 and the cordage I8 will be fed intothe channel and pressed thereinto, to the plane of the face I4, by arelatively wide guide wheel 28 which rolls on the face I4 and forces thecordage l8 partially into the channel l6. It may be here noted that thisguide wheel 28 also serves as a depthing wheel for the cutter wheel 26.Suitable framework, not shown, will be provided to support-said" wheels.A cordage embeddin wheel 38 will also be mounted on saidframeworkbehindthe guide wheel 28 to force the cordage to the root ofthe channel 16. Obviously, the cutting wheel will be followed by theguide wheel and the embeddin wheel will follow the guide wheel 28, inthe order of their operations, although the block It) may move or theblock l0 may remain stationary and the assembly including the wheels 26,28 and 30. moved over the face of the block. Finally, the cordage I8will be cemented in place by cementitious material 20 fed into thechannel IS on the outer side of the cordage I8, by some such means as anozzle 32 connected with a source of supply of mucilaginous substance,not shown. No attempt has been made to show the mechanical details ofthe machine used to carry out this method of applying the cordage to theblock [0, although the method, in general terms, is thought to have beenclearly set forth. The details of the construction of the machine tocarry out this method can obviously be varied considerably.

Having described the invention, claimed as new is:

1. A base for floral designs comprising-a block or synthetic hardenedplastic material reinforcing cordage on at least one side or the block,means to secure said cord throughout its length to said block, saidcordage having suflicient tensile strength to prevent elongation of saidside 0! the block longitudinally of the cord.

2. A' base according to claim 1 and wherein said material is aerated andcellular.

3. A base according to claim 2 and wherein what is 4 said block has achannel in said side, and said cordage is entrenched in said channel.

4. A base according to claim 3 and wherein said means is mucilaginousmaterial bonding said cordage in said channel.

5. A method of constructin a base of cellular material for floraldesigns comprising the m1- lowing steps in the order named, forming achannel in a side of the base, inserting cordage into the channel sothat the cordage is tightly held therein throughout its length, andplacing a .cement in the channel in the cellular material on the outerside of the cordage.

.6. A method of constructing a base of cellular material for floraldesigns comprising the steps of formin a. channel in a side of the base,rolling cordage into the channel, pressing the cordage. tightly againstthe bottom of the channel, and. placing a cement in the channel in thecellular material on the outer side of the cordage.

RAYMOND C. MELANDER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 79,122 Hochbrunn June 23, 1868 1,471,587 Bourn Oct. 23, 19231,697,787 Short Jan. 1, 1929 1,817,436 Geyer ,Aug. 4, 1931 1,969,067Freeman Aug. 7, 1934 2,023,204 Munters Dec. 3, 1935 2,286,861 Light June16, 1942 2,366,377 Zois Jan. 2, 1945 2,409,910 Stober Oct. 22, 19462,416,136 Arlington Feb. 18, 1947 2,440,150 Mitchell Apr. 20, 19482,516,197 Fox July 25, 2950 2,526,324 Bloomfield Oct. 17, 1950 2,618,901Braun n Nov. 25, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 21,190 GreatBritain A. D. 1903 OTHER REFERENCES Modern Plastics Encyclopedia, 1946,published by Plastics Catalog Corporation, pp. 243, 244.

